Athletics

Track and Field season is here! At all three of my schools they are holding try-outs to see who's the fastest. The fastest learners will be trained and will race. If they are really good, they will be able to compete at the regional, provincal, and national level. Some of the kids were really fast! It was great to see people running and I'd love to help train the learners (although I really don't know how much an 8 year-old should be trained. I think they should just have fun). Unfortunately, it's also an excellent opportunity to see corporal punishment. Yesterday I watched learners pinched on the upper, inner thigh, hit with wooden switch, chased with an umbrella, and hit with a rope tied to a stick (to make a whip). From what I could tell the learners received punishments for being late, running slow, or playing a game while waiting their turn. It was especially hard for me to watche learners wince and jump as perfect lines appeared on their skin from the wooden switch.

Becca, Alicia, and I are planning on doing a corporal punishment workshop which will be presented at each of our schools. Topics will include the history of corporal punishment (it was encouraged during Apartheid to teach the learners to fear authority), results of corporal punishment, and an introduction to positive reinforcement. I can't expect corporal punishment to go away, but maybe my teachers will think about it in a new light.